Bugaboo

Long before I was pregnant, I knew I wanted a Bugaboo stroller.  Yes, they are ridiculously overpriced.  But I loved the way they looked, I loved the versatility, and I knew I'd be able to use it from infancy until she outgrows it (sob!).  I got mine for a steal on Craigslist, and it has already proven its value, and then some.


I usually kept it in the car, and popped the carseat into it when we were out running errands.  But while home, I liked to use the bassinet when we took the dogs for a walk.  


Picture a baby instead of dogs ;)

But after awhile, Gwen discovered that she hates lying on her back, and would scream during our walk, and I'd end up carrying her,  pushing the stroller, and holding onto both dogs - nightmare.


Then, I thought I'd try the seat part in case she'd like it.  Success!

It was SO nice to take the dogs on a long walk with a happy baby!  

But, I'm confused by the buckles on the seat.  Do any of my readers have this stroller, and can offer some advice?

I have the shoulder straps coming through the lowest slits, and as tight as they can go, but they still aren't snug against her body.

And, the bottom seat doesn't have a slit for the strap to pull through?  Which is weird, because then it tugs the fabric up like this:

Hoping someone can offer some insight!  I'm tempted to cut a slit in it, but for a thousand+ dollar stroller, I'm thinking there HAS to be a solution I'm missing here!

On another note, there are these weird slits on the side - wonder what those are for?

My Style Monday - Fall Transition

Since I work from home, I don't often have many excuses to dress up.  I'm in yoga pants and a tank, or jeans and a tee, since no one sees me except the babysitter.  But, when I get to run errands on Friday or Saturday, I usually overcompensate and dress up a bit more.

For example...this outfit was worn to Babies R Us, Target and the Post Office :)

Its still pretty hot out, but the late September dates still make me think Fall, so I've been trying to take some of my favorite summery pieces, like this white cotton skirt, and make them a bit more season appropriate.

 

  

Skirt:  Old Navy

Chambray Button Up:  Target

Necklace:  Target

Heels:  ShoeDazzle

While taking these pictures, little Gwennie sat in her Bumbo and watched :)

She happens to be a bit stylish as well - rocking the trend of color blocking ;)  Check out the pink cardigan/white dress/green leggings!

I love this face :)

Chi O Saturday

On Saturday, my friend Michelle came up to visit, and stayed at our friend Malia's house.  She only lives 3ish hours away, and comes up frequently, but its still not nearly enough, and I'm campaigning vigorously for her to move up to Northern VA :)  But for the times I've seen her this summer, this was the first time she was able to actually meet Gwennie, so I took her over for a girl's afternoon.

All that attention soon knocked her out though, and Gwen passed out on Michelle.

I love that little tushy :)

Then Malia got a turn :)

I know its a long way off...but I do hope that when Gwennie goes off to college, she is open to the idea of rushing a sorority.  These friends are far more precious to me than anything else, and I wish her the same.  And while I would LOVE it if she became a Chi Omega, I think any sorority would be lucky to have her as a sister :)

GOTD - Red, White and Blue

Found these pictures of Gwennie from July 22nd on my computer.  I LOVED this outfit - I bought it for her to wear on July 4th, only I ended up spending that holiday on my deathbed with mastitis, so she just wore it several times over the month of July.  Now it is WAY too small :(  

Amazing to think that, when I took these, she had such adorable chunky thighs.  They are SO much chunkier now :)

This one is also funny to me - one month later, and she absolutely refuses a pacifier - will not, no way, no how take one.  

"They" aren't kidding...babies really do grow up so fast :(

3 Month Pictures

I have to say, I am REALLY not a fan of posed studio portraits.  However, I adore my own 3 month pictures, and thought it would be neat to take them and the same blanket that my parents used for my pictures, and have a photographer recreate them for Guinevere.  


Everyone is so quick to say how much Guinevere looks like Tyler, but I definitely see some similarities - mostly, the ears :)  Either way, its cute to see us side by side, and see how quickly she is growing!  Although now I'm torn - I always thought my baby was super cute, but Baby Kelly sure gives her a run for her money ;)


Lying down:

On our bellies:

We tried SO hard to get Gwennie to cross her arms like I was - and the second I'd let go, she'd fling them open.  Sigh.

So, not as close in the poses as I'd hoped, but still fun, and I think my parents got a kick out of them :)


But, while we were in the studio, I had them do some of Guinevere in my family's baptism gown.  Its been used (and loved) for many generations, and it was so sweet seeing her in it again.

For the moms out there - who do your kids look like?  Have they gone back and forth at all as they got older?

Its begun...

Its been pretty clear for a few weeks that Guinevere is going to be a VERY independent and strong minded little girl.  She's been sassy since the day she was born, and more of that strong personality emerges every day.  But it was easy to manage as a newborn.


However, we now have a roller!  And the fun is really starting.  Oh yes, Guinevere rolled over for the first time on Friday.  While we were at Target, getting some pictures taken.  This shot was half a second before she flipped over onto her back:

Last night, she woke up three times when she rolled over onto her back, and got super pissed that she couldn't get back on her tummy.  I hope it was just an off night...I've been loving my sleep lately!  Either that, or she needs to hurry up and start rolling back to tummy :)

As for the pictures?  I took in copies of my own 3-month pictures, and had them recreate them with Guinevere.  Down to that very same blanket.  And while everyone has said from day one that she looks just like her daddy...its very cute to see us side by side :)  When I get the rest in, I'll definitely post them!

Strip clubs

Oh yeah, happy Monday!  


So Tyler went to Chicago last weekend, to visit one of his best friends, who is also one of Guinevere's godfathers.  He'd been before, and loves that city, and had a really great time.  I picked him up at the airport last night, and we got to talking about his weekend.  And after talking about the game they watched, and the bars they drank at, he mentions they went to a strip club.  He's chatting about the fact that it was BYOB, and how the girls were very chatty - spent time sitting at your table and hanging out, getting to know you.  And then the conversation drifted, like they usually do with us, and we got sidetracked.  Probably about how, the second we got in the door, he was going to be on 100% baby duty the rest of the night, and I was getting a night off :)


So a few hours later, Tyler gets Guinevere down to sleep for the night, and I'm in my office - probably playing on Pinterest - when Tyler pops his head in.


Tyler:  So, I don't think we've ever really talked about this - are you cool with me going to strip clubs?
Me:  Well, its a little late to be asking now, isn't it?  (As I reflect back on his bachelor party...his friend Joel's bachelor party...etc)
Me:  Nope, has never bothered me.  Go for it.
Tyler:  Well, if you think about it...it is technically cheating.
Me:  I'm not sure why you're digging yourself this hole, but enlighten me.
Tyler:  Well, if I were to have a random chick in a bar giving me a lap dance, you would be pissed, right?
Me:  Yes.
Tyler:  So why is it any different if its a stripper?


I didn't have an answer for him.  I was sort of surprised that I couldn't explain it.  I would absolutely be furious if I knew he got a lap dance from some girl in a bar, but have never cared about at all about him going to strip clubs. 


So here's my question - I know strip clubs are polarizing.  Women either forbid their boyfriends/fiances/husbands from going to them, or don't care.  So for those of you that never cared about them, would you mind if it were anyone other than a stripper?  Why is it different?


I'm dying to hear your thoughts :)

Mommy Cards

So I saw a bunch of bloggers writing about how Minted is giving away 25 free Mommy Cards.  I had no idea what a Mommy Card was, so I clicked over to their website to see shit like this:

And I promptly turned into a Mean Girl and started laughing at the website.  So and so's mom?  A play date appointment card?  Suddenly I remember why I don't have any mom friends - other moms suck.  These just struck me as the most pathetic thing I'd ever seen - moms that can only live through their children, and don't appear to have any life of their own. If I said it once, I've said it a million times - I will never be "Guinevere's mom".  I'll be Kelly, who is awesome enough to have a kid that happens to be named Guinevere.  (And she will be awesome too).

But I kept coming back to the whole "free" part.  I'm a sucker for free.  And the more I thought about it, I'm often running into people, and something will come up about the blog, or a party I threw, and I'll want them to have my contact information.  I always have business cards on hand, but they don't have my personal information, and then I have to write it down on the back. So I decided to take their "Mommy Card", and make a "Me Card".

I adored the designs on the site, and saw several I'd love, but ultimately picked a gray/white/citron card.  They sent me a proof the next day, and it looked exactly as I'd hoped.  To spin off previous posts about how I am a firm  believer in putting my husband first, I decided to make my tagline "wife..mom..blogger".

Front:

Back:

I adore the whimsical pattern, and the bright colors, and the ability to be able to give someone my email/cell/blog information in such a fresh way.  Although, since I decided to list my Twitter, I suppose I should work on updating that more often...

Interested?  Go get your own!  Their offer ends September 23rd, so click here to go check out their options.

BTW - anyone notice I finally got around to buying my own domain  name?  I'm officially www.mrsintraining.com.  Sounds fancy, huh?!

Go Skins

My family loves the Redskins.  To say that my husband is passionate about football and this team is as big of an understatement as you can make.  He's on four fantasy football teams.  Our wedding anniversary falls during Training Camp, and thats how we usually spend it.  I'm not just a football widow on Sundays...he's watching reruns of games, recaps of games, sports talk shows talking about games...he's a true fanatic.


Lucky for him, I was also raised a Skins fan.  My baby book is full of pictures like this:

I remember singing "Hail to the Redskins" before any other song, and my favorite dress up was the authentic Skins cheerleader uniforms my parents had.


So, Gwen didn't have a choice.  I bought a Redskins onesie the day I found out I was pregnant, and that kid is pretty stocked on Burgundy and Gold.  We went to a friend's house yesterday to watch the game, and as much as I enjoyed it...I far more enjoyed watching these two: